Callaway Strata Review: What You Need to Know Before Buying

Callaway Strata Review: Golf clubs come with a bag and covers

In this article, we give you a Callaway Strata Review with all of the pros and cons for this set of golf clubs.

If you’re just getting into the sport, there are two things you’ll soon discover about golf: it’s very fun but can be very expensive. For beginners, buying quality golf clubs at an affordable price typically means you’ll end up with a second-hand set.

Luckily, the Callaway Strata golf club set is here to turn the tables. It offers rookie golfers the chance to own a brand new complete set of golf clubs that also works for high handicappers and even occasional players looking to upgrade from an old second-hand set.

In today’s Callaway Strata review, we’ll cover everything you need to know before you buy this set to make sure it’s the right option for your needs.

Callaway Strata clubs in bag with head covers.

Callaway Strata Overview

Callaway is a well-established brand in the golf world, known for manufacturing and endorsing great golf clubs that are used by some of the world’s best golfers. Callaway offers both quality and affordability in many of its products, especially in packages meant for beginners such as the Callaway Strata set.

Callaway understands that when people first get into golf, they’re often a bit confused as to what they should buy. While spending more money means they’ll play with better clubs, they usually don’t know which ones are suitable for beginners.

Luckily, this is where the Callaway Strata golf set comes in! Investing in these clubs doesn’t only provide you with a complete set, but you can also rest assured that they’re designed to maximize the performance of new players.

With the Callaway Strata golf set, everything you need to start playing the sport is covered.

Callaway Strata Golf Set Review

To kick off our review, let’s take a look at what the Callaway Strata golf set includes. The 12-Piece set features the following:

  • Driver
  • 3 Fairway Wood
  • 5 Hybrid
  • 6 – 9 Iron
  • Pitching Wedge
  • Putter
  • 2 Headcovers
  • Cart Bag
  • The 14-Piece set additionally includes a sand wedge and an extra headcover.
  • The 16-Piece set additionally has a sand wedge, 4 Hybrid, and 2 extra headcovers.

Now that you know the components of the Callaway Strata golf set, it’s time we dive deeper into the features of each one:

Callaway Strata 460cc Titanium Driver

1. 460cc Titanium Driver

No golf set is truly ever complete without a driver, but a slight warning is due when it comes to beginner players. If you’re a newbie to golf, chances are you’re not going to succeed in hitting a driver with any consistency.

As such, you’re not expected to open the Callaway Strata golf club set and head to the range to use the driver right away. We even find the thought of a beginner immediately trying to use a driver on a golf ball to be a bit ridiculous.

To achieve consistency for hitting a driver, you need practice. Still, you should know that the driver is an indispensable club in any golf set, and knowing how to pick a good driver is essential to the future of your game.

The Callaway Strata set of golf clubs (whether it’s the 12-piece set, 14-piece set, or 16-piece set) features a 10.5-degree driver made from titanium. Measuring 460cc in volume, this driver has a massive clubhead with a large sweet spot to give you nice forgiveness for hitting fairways.

While it’s true that you probably won’t use the driver before the first few months, you can have peace of mind knowing that a nice one is waiting for you in these men’s sets.

Callaway Strata 3 Wood

2. Low Profile Fairway 3-Wood

Next in this complete set, we have the 3-wood that’s lofted at 15.5 degrees. Although this head size is normal for a 3-wood, it’s a lot smaller than that of the driver so using after getting used to playing with the driver will take some adapting.

This is a reliable club, especially for high handicappers as it allows them to play off the tee box until their hits acquire the consistency and distance needed to take their skills to the next level.

The low profile of the 3-wood contributes heavily to keeping the center of gravity toward the rear of the club. This allows beginner golfers to get maximum distance when hitting the golf ball into the air and helps carry on their drives.

The shaft measures 42.5 inches, improving the swing control and speed of high handicappers compared to the longer driver in the Strata set. This 3-wood feels quite comfortable on the tee box, providing useful service as your game progresses from the fairway.

Callaway Strata Wide 5 Hybrid

3. Wide Soled 5-Hybrid

As your game continues to grow, the hybrid(s) will come to prove they’re extremely crucial to your game. These are reliable clubs to use on and off the tee box, as well as from the fairway on longer par-4s and par-5s.

In the 12-piece set, 14-piece set, and 16-piece set, you’ll receive a 5-hybrid in place of a 5-iron. You’ll also get an extra 4-hybrid instead of a 4-iron in the 16-piece set.

There’s no doubt that the 5-hybrid you’re sure to receive in place of a 5-iron is much tougher to hit for new golfers. But to make up for it, this club helps ensure solid contact at impact.

Additionally, the structure of the 5-hybrid lets the wide sole of the clubhead slide underneath the golf ball, which makes for an improved launch angle and greater ball height.

The 4-hybrid has a loft of 22 degrees, whereas the loft on the 5-hybrid is set at 26 degrees. As such, you may conclude that the difference between the latter hybrid and the set’s 6-iron is minimal. However, the style of the clubhead in the 5-hybrid is better suited for the inexperienced golfer than that in an iron.

Callaway Strata Irons

4. Cavity-Backed Irons

In the 12-piece set, 14-piece set, and 16-piece set, you’ll receive four irons starting from 6-iron all the way to 9-iron. Each of the four irons is cavity-backed, causing extra steel to travel to the outer rim of the clubhead to improve balance and maximize forgiveness.

The irons in this set of golf clubs are referred to as game-improvement irons. This means they’re designed to help high handicappers get the golf ball into the air and keep it moving straight towards the aimed destination.

Some users would argue that the irons are on the heavier side compared to average starter set irons, but the additional weight serves to keep the club low to the ground to contact.

Granted, the Callaway Strata set doesn’t offer the most sophisticated irons, but considering that it’s meant for beginner golfers, these clubs are a solid option for anyone looking to purchase their first golf set.

Callaway Strata Pitching Wedge

5. Pitching Wedge

The pitching wedge is part of all three Callaway Strata gold sets. This club can help new golfers from anywhere under 100 yards to the green.

The pitching wedge has a loft of 46 degrees, allowing you to perform from any spot across the entire course, be it the fairway or the light rough. It’ll give you good height and better accuracy on the short shots, with a comfortable feel in your hands.

Missing from the 12-piece set is the sand wedge, but if you want it, you can get it in the 14-piece or the 16-piece set. We highly recommend this if you don’t already own one.

A sand wedge can be very handy for beginners as you can use it to make bunker shots as well as long chip shots with very little green to the hole. Some of the wedges you may want to also consider getting are gap wedges and lob wedges.

Callaway Strata Blade Putter

6. Blade-Style Putter

The shaft of the putter is 35 inches, which is the standard length for an off-the-shelf putter. In all three Strata sets, the putter features a blade-style design with some extra steel behind the face to help level and balance the flat stick on the green.

We very much like Callaway Strata’s putter because it performs well when it comes to supporting forward roll and delivering the ball to the cup, unlike most putters in average complete sets.

Strata Golf Bag

7. Multi-Pocketed Stand Bag

The Callaway Strata complete golf set comes with a lightweight bag that includes equipped multiple pockets of different lengths to help you carry all your extra stuff (such as rain gear, towels, valuables, balls, and tees) conveniently in one package.

In total, the bag is equipped with five pockets, a cooler pocket to maintain the temperature of your cold beverages, a rain hood, and a backpack strap system to promote comfort. Standing on two sturdy legs, this bag is will keep your precious golf clubs dry and off the ground.

Not only is it a great option for golfers who like to hit the course in the morning dew and want to protect the grips of the clubs from serious water damage.

Strata Head Covers

8. Head Covers

The headcovers make for a nice addition as they serve to protect the club heads from damage during your time on the course and while you transport them to and from the course.

Pros of the Callaway Strata Golf Club Set

Next, we’ll be highlighting the benefits of investing in this set of golf clubs:

Callaway is a reputable brand

It’s always a sad thing when new golfers buy cheaper club sets, only to feel unsatisfied and in need of another purchase soon after a couple of months of use. When you’re buying a starter set designed for beginners, you need to make sure it’s good quality just as much as you want it to be reasonably priced.

The Callaway Strata golf club set has both ends covered, and you’d be dealing with an established brand that’s committed to delivering proper quality in all its products.

You get great value for money

The Callaway Strata golf club sets offer very good value for money, considering the quality you’d usually get at this price point. For such a cost, the best you can buy is second-hand clubs that have probably seen better days if you’re aiming for a high-end brand.

Impressively enough, Callaway provides beginner golfers with the option of owning a brand new set of golf clubs at a competitive price from a reputable brand that’s known for quality gear.

A ready out of the box experience

Last but not least, buying a whole set like the Callaway Strata simply offers convenience that’s difficult to come across when purchasing from other brands. Besides getting new clubs that you don’t need to worry about fixing or being too careful to not damage them further, you also receive everything you need to hit the course right and golf away.

Just think about the time and effort you’d save with such a purchase!

Cons of the Callaway Strata Golf Club Set

Next, we’ll be discussing the potential downsides of owning this golf starter set:

Not for advanced golfers

A lot of people seem to overlook this, but you shouldn’t forget that golf sets are usually meant to serve the needs of the beginner golfer. While every player will progress at a different pace, keep in mind that once you reach a certain skill level you may feel that the set can no longer keep up.

This isn’t necessarily a drawback as most golfers will upgrade their clubs to a better performing set when they get to a certain degree of competency. Still, it’s something worth mentioning so you don’t make a purchase under the wrong impression.

Callaway Strata FAQs

Are Callaway Strata Clubs Good?

Yes, Callaway Strata clubs are good. They’re great for beginner golfers as well as high handicappers in the market for an upgrade.

The Strata golf club package is a forgiving set that’s designed specifically to boost starter skills. It even includes a stand bag for maximum convenience.

What is the Difference Between Callaway and Strata?

There’s some confusion regarding the connection between Strata and Callaway, so here’s the difference between the two: Strata golf clubs are endorsed and distributed by Callaway.

This means that Strata actually construct these golf clubs, then Callaway distributes them. Don’t let this fact make you question the quality of the golf clubs because Callaway is responsible for it, and they’re very protective of their reputation.

What is the Difference Between Callaway Strata and Solaire?

Strata and Solaire are both manufactures of golf clubs that are then endorsed and distributed by Callaway. However, there are a few differences between the two.

First of all, Solaire golf clubs look more professional compared to the Strata ones. In the latter, you can see that Callaway maintained a minimalistic approach in the structure and design. Secondly, Solaire sets include up to seven irons, while the Strata goes up to six irons only. Finally, Strata golf sets are a lot more affordable than Solaire sets.

For beginner golfers, Callaway Strata sets take the wins. They’re cheaper, their quality exceeds average starter sets, and they’re some of the most “complete” options available on the market.

As for more advanced golfers, the Callaway Solaire is the superior choice. It’s more expensive because it performs better and lasts longer.

Which Callaway Golf Clubs are Best?

The answer depends on various factors, but the main one is why you need the club for. For example, if you’re searching for the best golf club for high handicap, then you’re in good hands with either the Big Bertha or the Rogue X graphite irons.

For beginners, nothing beats Strata, while the Epic Flash Sub Zero is one of the best drivers across the entire Callaway range.

Callaway Strata Review: Golf clubs come with a bag and covers

Wrap Up – Should You Buy the Callaway Strata Golf Club Set?

While Callaway Strata offers great golf clubs for their price range, you should ask yourself if they offer what you need. For one, you have to accept the fact that the quality of Strata clubs isn’t on the same level as Callaway’s premium ranges.

This is in line with the fact that Strata is made to suit beginner golfers. Also, Strata makes for a fantastic golf set if you’re starting out in the sport, you’re a higher handicapper, or you’re an occasional player looking to upgrade from an old second-hand set.

On the other hand, if you’re a more seasoned golfer in need of an affordable set of clubs, you may be better off looking at second-hand used golf clubs to make sure that that the clubs can keep up with your skill level.